Busted
by RedHal
Summary: A redo of my popular Order-reads-the-books. This time there is no actual reading, just a bit of what happens between the reads, such as breaks, so it can't be considered MST. Will cover all seven books eventually . Rated higher than usual for extra precaution.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Summary: One of the Cast of Harry Potter reads the books. However, due to the issues this genre has been having as apparently it's considered MST, **this version of Busted does not have the actual books word-for-word in them.** Instead, this version goes into details of what happens during the breaks in-between reads.

I decided to be extra safe with the rating this time.

**Prologue **

Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin were playing the muggle game Old Maid (using the Joker of the set of muggle cards as the maid) as the Order meeting was going on in the living room this time as a prank courtesy of Fred and George had kept them out of the kitchen (as the kids were currently cleaning up the mess). Of course, right now, it was a Sirius Black vs. Molly Weasley argument about what to tell the kids which was why they were playing.

Suddenly, there was a flash in the middle of the table and everyone starred at the item that had materialized. It was a boxed-set of seven books with an envelope on it

Dumbledore summoned the envelope and read it out loud

"To the Order of the Phoenix. Due to your good intentions of this war, your constant squabbles will delay the inevitable. You 13 as well as the children in the kitchen, are to read all seven of these books. Time will be stopped as soon as everyone is in the room (and the children) until the reader of the last chapter of the last book reads 'The End.' These books, at least the fifth through the seventh, are not set in stone so lives may be saved. Happy reading. P.S. There is a ward with the books so that magic cannot be used while they are in the same house as you. The wards will also block any connection to the outside world be it a mental connection or a Dark Mark."

"Should we trust them?" Moody asked

"Remus?" Dumbledore asked. "What's the series called?"

Remus grabbed the box and looked at the sides. A large smirk formed on his face as he struggled so hard not to laugh and was failing miserably

"Moony?" Sirius asked

"He's not going to like this" Remus said as he held the box to his eye level and read each title. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"

"So the boy has books about him?" Snape asked with his voice laced with bitterness

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" Remus continued giving Snape a glare not liking being interrupted

Snape paled at his old nickname

"And Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Remus finished

"Told you they were real" Sirius said. "So Harry has an entire series about him?"

"From what it looks like," Dumbledore said reaching out for the series. "These books will allow us to see the inner workings of the Golden Trio as well as the fate of everyone in the room"

"Do we have to?" Snape asked

"You may find it educational Severus" Dumbledore said pulling out book one. "Should we call in the children?"

"Let's read the first chapter" Flitwick said "Maybe we can get a better understanding of what's going on as the first chapter in the first book is introducing the series"

"Good idea Filius" Sprout said

Dumbledore opened the cover and started reading the book while the adults listened.

**A/N: You can find the full story with the books at www. wattpad story/ 816158 -busted -a-harry -potter- fanfiction, but if there's a website you want me to post them as well, just P.M. me (don't forget the spaces in the site)**


	2. In the Kitchen

**In the Kitchen**

While the adults were reading,

"Can't believe this thing backfired on us." Ginny grumbled as she tried to wipe some sticky substance off the table.

"It was worth a shot." Harry said with a shrug. "How were we to know they'd move the meeting on us?"

"You two okay?" Ron asked his brothers who were hitting their wands.

"We thought we'd try the wands," Fred said.

"Since we're of age" George continued.

"But I think the adults put a ward up."

"Probably so we wouldn't use shortcuts." Hermione stated before getting her hair stuck in the bubblegum-like substance. She bit her lips to hold back a swear.

"Do we have any peanut butter?" Harry asked

"Why?" Ron asked.

"In primary school, a classmate got bubblegum in her hair and the teacher used peanut butter to get it out." Harry said

"I heard ice works." Hermione said.

"You thinking what I'm thing Gred?"

"I believe I am Feorge."

"Get the ice for the room." Hermione said knowing where the twins were going with this as Harry applied the peanut butter to her hair.

"Ron. Don't just stand there looking like a pureblood in a muggle store." Harry informed his friend. "Help me out."

"Right." Ron said with his 'muggles are WEIRD' look.

Fred, George, and Ginny used the ice in the icebox to harden the gum from their sticky-bomb they had set off in the hopes that Molly would rather clean the mess than have the meeting in the sticky room. Meanwhile, Ron and Harry were unsticking Hermione's hair and pulled once they felt it come loose.

"WHOA!" the trio exclaimed before falling on the floor, Hermione into Ron's arms causing them to blush.

"Are you two comfortable?" Harry teased from under them with a hint of a snap to silently tell them to get off of him.

"Sorry Harry" Hermione apologized as she and Ron got off their scrawny friend only to find him stuck in more of the substance.

Harry gave a 'you've got to be kidding me' sigh as his friends grabbed his hands and yanked.

However, the substance was sticky enough, the other two were pulled down and fell on either side of Harry causing the twins to laugh.

"I have to say you three…" Fred said.

"Of all the situations you three have gotten into over the years…" George added

"This is the stickiest." They chorused before laughing.

The trio groaned at the bad joke.

"If I wasn't stuck to the floor right now…" Ron threatened.

"Well, there is some good news." Ginny said after applying some ice to the floor about where the trio's heads were connected. "Only your torsos are stuck as the chairs had blocked where your legs are."

"How is that GOOD?" Harry asked

"Just slip out of your shirts and you're free." Ginny said. "I have to say Harry, that muggle shirt is WAY beyond help."

Harry grumbled silently but didn't want to admit he was wearing one of Dudley's shirts from when they were 6 and it was still too big for him.

"GINNY!" Hermione exclaimed horrified.

"You wanna lay on the floor until this stuff hardens enough for us to chip off?" Ginny asked.

"No. but I also don't want this lot to see what's under my shirt."

"Truthfully 'Mione…it's nothing I haven't seen before." Ron said.

"WHAT?" she exclaimed.

"He means that while I thought the boys were busy packing in their rooms, I came down looking for a clean shirt from the laundry with just the undergarments and Ron was in the kitchen." Ginny admitted with a giggle. "Asked me where I got them."

"You didn't have to add THAT!" Ron told his sister going Weasley red.

With a sigh, the trio carefully slipped out of their shirts and stood up earning wolf-whistles from the twins.

"Shut up!" the trio chorused as Ginny eyed them.

Ron and Hermione were trying to eye each other without looking at each other so that they wouldn't be caught, but Ginny knew her brother and her best friend well enough to know that they both had the hots for each other and were liking what they were seeing.

Hermione wasn't too thin, but was in pretty good shape while Ron…well…looked as if he played Quidditch all his life and had some fairly decent abs. Nothing the normal shallow girl would kill over, but enough to where the future Mrs. Ron Weasley would be a VERY happy woman.

Ginny then noticed Harry and saw that, while he was still pretty scrawny, years of Quidditch and last year was starting to pay off.

"We're going to go change and then we'll help chip off the stuff." Harry said.

After what seemed to be 15 minutes, the six students finished up the chipping off of the now hardened sticky stuff.

"Let's go tell the adults we're done and they can have the kitchen back." Hermione said.

The sixsome walked over to the living room and knocked on the door.

The door opened to reveal Mad-Eye and the kids entered to see the adults gathered around the coffee table and Arthur was holding a book. Sirius was looking rather pale as if he had just stepped out of Azkaban.

"The kitchen's clean." Ron said. "What are you guys doing in here?"

"We were magically sent some books to read." Sirius said. "You guys are welcome to join us."

"Wow!" Fred and George gasped at the fact that they were allowed to join. Hermione's face had brightened at the word 'books' and Harry and Ron looked skeptical. Ginny looked scared stiff as she remembered the diary.

"It's okay Ginny. These books are only about magic. They're not magical" Arthur assured her.

"We've already read Chapter 1 which was pretty dull" Tonks said.

"Then why do you look like hell when you were fine earlier, Sirius?" Harry challenged.

"Just…a really bad flashback. By the way, Remus. Remind me to get my bike back from Hagrid."

"It's not like you can ride it" Remus said.

"I didn't say _I _was going to ride it" Sirius whispered quietly so Molly wouldn't hear as he subtly pointed to Harry.

"Lily will come back to haunt you for that" Remus said.

"Should we explain or should I get started?" Arthur asked.

"Get started" Sirius said with a wink at the Weasley patron. The look on Harry's face was going to be classic.

Little did Sirius know, Harry wasn't the only one who wasn't going to like this chapter called 'The Vanishing Glass.'


	3. The First Lunch Break

2 The First Lunch Break

After reading a few chapters of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,

Everyone was leaving the living room to take a dinner break.

"Those were some pretty good impressions Ginny" Harry praised her for her imitations of the hat and McGonagall during the chapter with the sorting, hoping she wouldn't revert to the Ginny Weasley he had to deal with in his second year.

"Thanks" she said.

"Harry" Fred and George chorused.

"Tell your Mum I'll be there shortly" Harry told Ginny before walking up to the twins. "What's up guys?"

"The fact that you…"

"…stopped our singing the school song" the twins told him.

"There a reason?" Fred asked.

"Not really" Harry said, his cheeks getting a pink tint to them though he was unaware of this as he thought of the look he had given them when they had attempted to join Ginny's singing the school song. "She has a good singing voice I didn't want drowned out."

"Sure" the twins said in a knowing tone.

"Well Harry" Fred said.

"You've always been like a brother to us" George said.

"So if you ever decide to date Ginny…"

"…you have our blessing."

"And if Bill, Charlie, and Ron don't like it,"

"Just let us know."

"And we'll deal with them."

"Me and Ginny? A couple?" Harry asked "She's just now being able to talk to me without blushing."

"Are you three coming or what?" a cold yet smooth voice they recognized as Snape came.

The three jumped and turned but saw Ginny laughing at them.

"You should have seen your faces" she laughed.

The four went to the kitchen and Harry made himself comfortable between Ron and Hermione.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"What? I can't be friends with the rest of your family?" Harry joked as Molly placed the cooked food on the table.

Everyone ate while discussing in various groups what they were thinking of the books.

"These books are evil." Ron said. "Nobody was supposed to know all these things."

"I agree. Imagine how I feel. These are MY thoughts and even then some are exaggerated." Harry agreed.

"C'mon guys." Hermione said. "At least this will help the adults understand what all we've been through. Maybe then they'll see us as more than children."

"You'll be on our side before long." Harry declared.

"And why is that?" she asked.

"You lying about the troll." Ron said.

"My first Quidditch match." He told her.

"Fluffy"

"Norbert"

"Need we go on?"

Hermione gulped as she eyed the group of professors who were having their own conversation.

Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, Flitwick, Molly and Arthur were gathered today having their own private conversation.

"Had I known Mr. Longbottom had such a hard time coming into his magic, I would have had more patience." McGonagall sighed.

"Well, we know there's hope for him." Flitwick said. "They say that the longer it takes for the magic to come in, the longer it takes for the full potential to show."

"How does THAT show hope?" Snape asked.

"Because Mr. Longbottom hasn't reached it yet." Flitwick said. "When he does, I believe we can see a vast improvement. Providing a certain someone doesn't keep scaring the boy, Severus."

"And it's not just your behavior towards Mr. Longbottom." Sprout added her two knuts. "You hadn't even spoken one word to Harry and already he knew you didn't like him."

"I honestly don't see where you see James in him other than looks." McGonagall said. "Now, maybe if he HAD been raised amongst wizards then perhaps more of James would be apparent. That boy is too modest for his own good."

"Which is why I placed him with the muggles." Dumbledore explained.

"Yes Albus. He may not have been spoiled but he wasn't exactly treated as part of the family either. Locked in a cupboard while his pig of a cousin had TWO bedrooms! The muggles tried to stamp out the magic! We're luckily he wasn't damaged anymore than he was. It's no wonder the boy is so skinny!"

"I admit that I probably should have listened to Arabella a bit more when she stated her concern about what was going on and at least made it look as if we were spying on them." Dumbledore said. "Especially when I had another person who reported a few concerns."

"You had other people spying on Harry?" Arthur asked.

"I didn't ask this person to." Dumbledore said looking over at Remus.

"Remus?" Molly asked.

"Unfortunately, due to the wards and his lycanthropy, he couldn't get too close." Dumbledore said.

In the group that Remus was in,

He, Moody, Tonks, and Sirius were in their own little group.

"I don't know guys. I get reading books 1 through 4, but 5, 6, and 7? They haven't happened yet."

"Exactly!" Sirius argued. "We could change a few details. Such as people dying."

"Maybe we can even find hints on how to clear your name." Tonks suggested.

"I like that." Sirius said. "Then I can get another place to live and get Harry out of this hell house"

"But what if the way to have a good result is for one of the bad actions to take effect?" Remus asked.

"That's why we read the entire series." Moody said. "When flipping through them, I noticed the epilogue for the seventh book is 19 years after the last event of the main plot for book 7. Long term effects will be seen."

"Scared you'll see something you won't like?" Sirius teased Remus.

"Yeah. Me biting one of the kids." Remus said.

Sirius groaned an banged his head on the table.

"You WON'T!" Sirius exclaimed. "Those kids know better by now. And those that weren't there will know by the third book's end. Personally, I'm interested in getting to know Harry better. Already I've learned a lot: he's had a crappy childhood he needs to redo, that damned hat nearly put him in Slytherin, and he, Ron, and Hermione weren't B.F.F's straight on the train."

"Not to mention that a certain someone was a fan girl." Tonks said smirking towards Ginny who was in a conversation with her brothers.

"That's another thing I'm looking forward too. Seeing Harry's love life."

Over at the table with the Weasley kids minus Ron,

"Perhaps a hat would be the best bet." Ginny told the twins. "You can have a band around it and that band could be the color the hair changes."

"Either that or mix it up a bit. Like a blue hat could hold pink dye. Just have them random." Charlie suggested.

"You know, if Mum knew what we're talking about, she'd kill us?" Bill stated.

"We know." His younger siblings chorused.

"Just making sure." Bill said. "You two also might want to talk to Harry about other accidental magic moments"

"But wait until we're done with the books." Charlie told the twins.

"Of course." Fred agreed.

"We're not stupid." George said.

"Harry's going to have more mood swings than Mum does during her time of the month when we're acting up and Harry's around."

"Are you comparing Harry to our mother?" Ginny asked.

"Well, we could have gone with Lupin and bringing up the mood swings he has as the moon changes." Fred said.

"But he's not nearly as dangerous as Mum."

"And the only other option was you and…"

"…as previously stated, we're not stupid."

"You have a mean bat-boogy hex."

"We know not to mess with our ickle Gin-Gin." George finished while pinching Ginny's cheek.

She grabbed his wrist and twisted it back

"Never. Pinch. My. Cheek. Again." She growled.

"Yes Mum" George gritted.

She kicked him in the shin for that.

Everyone turned to her at hearing George's cry of pain.

"Don't mess with the little sister." She said buffing her nails on her jumper.


	4. A Godfather and Godson Chat

****A/N: I'm sorry about the delay. Between school, work, and I hate to admit it, a brief loss of interest, this story (as well as the Wattpad version) isn't going as fast as I had hoped. I will still post and I DO intend to finish these. Make no mistake about that. Just it won't be as often as I hoped. Sorry about that.

**A Godfather/Godson Chat**

After reading the Chapter about Snape,

"It's getting late" Molly said. "How about we turn in for the night and pick this up in the morning?"

"In other words," Ginny figured. "You lot want to have that talk about the lesson without us in the room."

"I will assure you Miss. Weasley. That only the professors will be involved." Dumbledore looking pointedly at the non-professor adults.

"I'm assuming this won't include the temps" Moody figured.

"Actually, it will" Dumbledore said.

"In that case, goodnight." Harry said getting up to go to bed.

"Hold it right there Mister." Sirius said.

Harry gave his godfather a confused look. He had NEVER heard that tone from Sirius. Read it certainly from when Sirius had written his response after Harry's one-on-one chat with Krum.

"Since I can't be there with the professors, the two of us are going to have a little chat." Sirius said.

Everyone who had never had the title 'Professor' left the living room and went up to their rooms. Everyone…except Harry and Sirius who went into the kitchen.

"Have a seat Harry" Sirius said.

Harry obeyed. A little too instantly for Sirius' liking.

Remus then poked his head into the kitchen.

"Just seeing how loud we can get" Remus explained "Will you two be long?"

"We'll see" Sirius said.

Remus nodded in understanding before leaving.

"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation" Sirius chuckled.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Harry asked his godfather.

Sirius sighed.

"Well, reading these books made me realize just how much about you I don't know. And the way you and Ron tense at certain points made me realize that you're keeping secrets. Too many for my liking."

"It's not that I mean to" Harry said. "Just…some of the stuff I got into…those who need to know about it know. And the Dursleys wouldn't care so I learned a long time ago not to bother them with magical details. And I tell you things now. I just don't tell you stuff from before because it's long past and not important."

"It's important to me Harry." Sirius told his godson as he placed a hand on Harry's folded hands that were on the table. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you then, but I'm here now. And I would have wanted to know about the cupboard from you. Not Arthur reading from a book."

"I didn't think it was necessary" Harry said with a shrug. "I have my own room now."

"And the cooking? How long were you doing that?"

"It was just some meals" Harry assured his godfather before sighing and answering the question. "Since I was five."

"And how long were you in the cupboard?" Sirius asked as if scared of the answer.

"Not sure." Harry said with a shrug. "I'm sure I shared with Dudley for a while."

"Harry. I want the full truth." Sirius said. "How bad was it there?"

"It wasn't…" Harry started to deny, but Sirius interrupted.

"It takes a lot to 'stamp' out magic. I need to know what Vernon and Petunia did to you to know if it was done properly and if it could be fixed if it had been" Sirius said. "For the sake of your future health and my sanity, the truth Harry."

"I'm not sure if it'll do your sanity any good" Harry warned "I don't know where to begin. The only thing I can say is they hated me. Almost as much as Snape and Voldemort combined. You heard most of it in the book, but some of it was left out, but implied."

Harry starred off into nothing as he had flashbacks of his childhood.

"I was cooking since I was five and even then it was experimental. If it was done wrong, I was yelled at. I worked long hours doing chores on measly meals…if any. If I did accidental magic…you saw the typical punishment, but the length varied. I didn't know my parents' names until Hagrid told me let alone how they died. I didn't know what they looked like or what they did for a living…Uncle Vernon told me that Dad was unemployed."

Harry had tears forming in his eyes as he was oblivious to all but his flashback.

"I used to get so angry at them for dying on me like that…leaving me with the Dursleys… I knew that the cupboard wasn't typical. Dudley had two rooms and was obviously loved. When I was three I hugged Aunt Petunia…never did it again. She screamed…the same type of scream Ron lets out when he sees a spider. I used to wonder if anyone loved me…if my parents loved me."

Upon feeling Sirius' grip on his hands tighten a bit, Harry pulled back to reality and saw Sirius listening intensively with tears in his own eyes. Harry pulled one hand out from under Sirius' and dried away the tears that had formed against his will.

"Were you ever hit?" Sirius asked the question that had been on his mind since the cupboard was first mentioned.

Harry started to shake his head, but then remembered all the backhands and punches.

"Depends." Harry answered. "Who was throwing the punches?"

"Any of them? Mainly Vernon, but I need to know about Petunia and Dudley. I figured Dudley is a yes."

"The few times he caught me, yes" Harry confirmed. "Aunt Petunia would make to, but never follow through. And sometimes she would miss….there were days when I wondered if she would miss intentionally."

"And Vernon?" Sirius asked.

Harry looked at the floor thinking back on all the times Vernon was rougher than he ought to have been. Without looking up, he nodded.

Sirius' hand came off of Harry's and the table vibrated with a loud BANG as Sirius pounded on it obviously upset with the information.

"Did you tell anyone?"

"Once when I was seven. The Dursleys just laughed and told the councilor that I have an overactive imagination. The councilor didn't seem to believe them and said that he was going to send a social service worker over. They never came and the councilor…" Harry trailed off as if he had made a connection. He shook it away and continued "The Dursleys were a bit mean after they found out I told. Never brought it up again until now."

"Harry." Sirius said. "I don't care what Dumbledore says. Wards or no wards, you're NEVER going back there again…at least alone. Even if I have to live under the cloak."

"But…" Harry argued as he looked up at Sirius who looked…well…serious.

Sirius scooted his chair closer to Harry and placed both hands on Harry's shoulders. A concerned look crossed his face when Harry tensed.

"Reflex" Harry assured Sirius.

"Harry" Sirius said. "You didn't deserve that childhood. Your parents loved you more than anything."

"I know that now" Harry told him. "And I know if I have questions, I can just ask you or Professor Lupin…"

"Don't you forget that" Sirius said. "Out of curiosity, what did you say to the councilor?"

"Nothing much. Hinted about the starving and the hitting" Harry said. "I probably should have mentioned the cupboard. He probably would have brought it to Dumbledore. Now that I think back, I bet that 'social service worker' would have been Dumbledore."

"Maybe." Sirius said.

"Well, the next chapter should be a good one." Harry said changing the subject. "Should be my first flying lesson."

"You should have had THAT with James" Sirius sighed.

"Were you told what happens?" Harry asked.

"No. You're not the only one who's been quiet about your past." Sirius answered. "the Order told me the basics like the parseltongue and you told me about the weird dreams. So how much grey hair should I get tomorrow as we'll probably finish the first book?"

"Well, considering the events concerning Fluffy and Norbert, probably a good…FIRST book?"

"Yeah. There's a set of seven. One of each year of your schooling so you can get a head's up on your fifth, sixth, and seventh years. Maybe get a few sneak peeks at some OWL and NEWT questions…not to mention your love life" Sirius teased.

"Hermione's not going to like that" Harry declared.

"Get to bed" Sirius said. "We have a long day tomorrow."

"Good night Sirius" Harry said as they left the kitchen.

Harry headed for the stairs before a thought hit Sirius a bit too hard. Mainly because he had recalled what he had overheard the Weasleys saying to each other as he went to the kitchen as well as recalling the year he spent at James' place.

"Harry!" Sirius called after his godson.

Harry turned a confused look in Sirius' direction.

"I love you" Sirius said seriously.

It was as if Sirius had feared. For a BRIEF second, a shocked look came across Harry's face indicating to the Marauder that those three words were foreign to the teenager.

However, the shock look melted into a small smile.

"I-I love you too" Harry responded hesitating a bit which was a bit too much for Sirius' liking.

Nobody should have to hesitate with those words. Especially when the love was shining in the eyes.


	5. Staff Meeting

****A/N: If you do what I do and hit the link to the last page of the story, you might want to go back one because I posted two today to make up for the delay and the upcoming delay.

**Staff Meeting**

While the conversation between Harry and Sirius was going on, in the living room,

"Severus. I don't know if I'm more disappointed in your behavior towards Mr. Potter or Mr. Longbottom" Dumbledore said "I don't mind the pop-quiz, but singling Harry out was uncalled for. Especially since you knew that he was raised muggle and wasn't aware of our world until a full month before coming."

"At least Miss. Granger had time to memorize her books" Sprout said.

"What _**I **_don't get and would like an answer for, why did HARRY get the blame when NEVILLE'S potion exploded?

"He was working next to him and should have noticed" Snape said having a feeling that they wouldn't like the answer.

He was right.

"Paying more attention to his OWN Potions!" McGonagall exclaimed dangerously.

"Could the book have been exaggerating?" Moody suggested.

Figuring that the truth would be the only way to be let off relatively easy, Snape answered,

"No. It was correct with each quote." Snape said.

"It's no wonder Neville's terrified of you!" Remus gasped. "I figured SOMETHING was up that first lesson, but I didn't know it went back this far."

"And you didn't even GIVE Potter a chance to show you that he's more like his mother in personality." Flitwick pointed out.

"Severus, you came to me that afternoon complaining that Harry was 'mediocre, arrogant as James, a determined rule-breaker, delighted to find himself famous, attention-seeking, and impertinent'" Dumbledore said calmly quoting Snape. "However, from what it seems to me, some of those were yourself as well as what you wanted to see."

"Actually, some of it is a more accurate description of Mr. Malfoy" Sprout mused.

"Thank you for reminding me" McGonagall said. "Your blatant favoritism."

"You can't say you three don't show it" Snape said. "If I recall correctly, it was you, Minerva, who got Potter on the Quidditch team that year."

"WHOA!" Remus interrupted. "Harry got on his FIRST year?! I thought it was second."

"He didn't tell you?" McGonagall asked. "It should be discussed in the next chapter."

"Looking forward to that" Moody said.

"Anyways," McGonagall said turning to Snape. "I keep my Quidditch favoritism and my general favoritism separated. If you might recall Severus, that same year I took 150 points away from my Gryffindors." _And a fraction of that from your Slytherin, but I'm not going to say that out loud in front of Remus._

Remus rose his eyebrows. That was a good chunk.

"Then explain why Slytherin seems to loose the most points between the three of you" Snape challenged glad he had an edge with the general houses. He knew that arguing about Potter was a loosing battle. Especially as the fact that their childhoods were ALMOST mirror images was disrupting his image of the boy.

"When your Slytherins deserve the points they will get them" Sprout said. "I can't tell you the number of your snakes I have caught goofing off in my Greenhouses. Malfoy being the ringleader as of late."

"I understand your need to favor him Severus" Flitwick said. "Between being his godfather and having to be close to the family for your job with the Order, but it's as Remus here pointed out. There's a line on how to treat students that are family. Private lessons are fine as are friendly chit-chat. But to show him off to make the other students feel…insubordinate… it's no wonder Mr. Malfoy struts around the school like he owns it."

"He's gotten better about that" McGonagall pointed out "Especially since Lucius lost his place in the school governors."

"Sir?" Remus asked seeing the headmaster deep in thought.

A loud bang from another room that sounded like someone hitting a table hard woke Dumbledore from his thoughts.

"Sorry" Dumbledore apologized. "I was just thinking. When I was at school, the Slytherins weren't near as…what's a good term for it?"

"Pompous?/Idiotic?/Selfish?" McGonagall, Sprout, and Flitwick suggested.

"I feel the love" Snape said sarcastically.

"Prone to the Dark Arts" Dumbledore said giving his older heads a look. "I noticed that about when Tom Riddle started learning and gathering followers, THAT was when the major shift formed. There was always a bit of a shift from the time when Salazar Slytherin left the school, but it wasn't until Riddle joined us when the goal of unity seemed so unreachable. It's every headmaster's goal to establish unity in the castle…so that the houses are merely to lower classroom sizes and to have FRIENDLY competition. I've been toying with the idea of getting rid of the house cup for a trial period and instead of points, just detentions and whatever the teacher comes up with. I will see what these books show, especially the fifth, sixth, and seventh books before I make my final decision."

The teachers nodded.

"Now Severus," Dumbledore said. "About Mr. Malfoy…"

Snape held up his hand.

"I'm way ahead of you Headmaster" Snape said. "I wasn't too pleased about reading the truth in Draco's first real conversations with Potter. Especially as the one on the train as it went against what Draco told me. I'm keeping a mental tally of the times Draco has lied to me. When I reach the final count, I will decide how to react to my godson."

"Very good" Dumbledore said "Anything else?"

"I have a question" Remus said. "how bad is the rest of the book on my nerves?"

"Let's just say," Sprout said with a chuckle. "From what I remember, if this book doesn't make you as grey as Albus, you will be by the end of the series."

"Great. Now I have to deal with an overprotective Padfoot" Remus groaned.

"Before we adjourn for bed," Dumbledore said. "Remus. I would like to apologize for not believing you when you were a muggle school councilor."

"I should have filed for that muggle social service worker before I got fired for missing too many days instead of the magical." Remus said. "Thank Merlin Harry hasn't figured it out yet."

The teachers left the room to see Harry going up the stairs and Sirius turning to his godson.

"Harry!"

Harry froze and turned to his godfather.

"I love you" Sirius told the boy.

Remus smiled which dropped suddenly when he saw the shocked look on Harry's face. The shock melted to a smile before Harry responded.

"I-I love you too" Harry said hesitantly before going upstairs.

"Nobody should hesitate with those four words" McGonagall said after a few moments of silence.

"How much did you hear?" Sirius asked.

"Just the sappy stuff" Snape said.

Sirius turned to the other teachers.

"How much of that was sappy?" Remus asked his friend as Sirius had once teased James about being sappy.

"You'd be surprised" Sirius said.

"Before I forget," Dumbledore said turning to Snape. "You might want to mention to Mr. Potter JUST how close you and Lily had been."

Snape looked ready to kiss a basilisk before doing that.

"You don't have to go into why your patronus is what it is. Just to mention to Harry that you were the one who introduced Lily to our world and that you two were friends until you had a slip of the tongue."

"If the situation calls for it, I'll tell him. But not before" Snape said.


	6. Sleep Break

**Sleep Break**

When Harry had walked into the room he shared with Ron, he found Hermione sitting at the desk with Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny listening to her as she told the story of Peter Pan (which had been brought up with Hagrid's flight to the Shack).

"And when Jane grew up, her daughter Margaret took her place. In fact, there's a muggle movie called 'Hook' where Peter falls in love with Margaret and grows up with her and they marry, have two kids, and Hook kidnaps them so it's up to Peter to remember what he was and face his old enemy. It came out during our first year."

The room was silent.

"That is the CRAZIEST story I've ever heard!" Ron said. "Who ever heard that pixie dust can make people fly? Pixies don't even CREATE dust! That's fairies!"

"Hey! Leave Peter Pan alone" Harry said. "you wouldn't believe how many times I had wished he's swoop in and take me off. Of course, I didn't think he could what with there being no window in the cupboard."

"Harry!" The two witches and three wizards exclaimed as Harry had snuck in on them.

"How'd your talk with Sirius go?" Hermione asked.

"Okay." Harry said with a shrug as he joined Fred and George on his bed "Asked about my life with the Dursleys and wanted a head's up about the rest of the stories."

"StorIES?" Ron asked "You mean there's MORE that Mum's going to find out?!"

"It's worse than that Ron" Harry said eying Hermione wearily. "There's seven books. Three of which haven't really happened yet."

"This could change the future! It's dangerous!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Relax Hermione" Ginny said. "Maybe this is a case where we WANT the future changed. I for one wouldn't mind finding these books before my first years."

Ron placed a comforting hand on his sister's shoulders knowing that she was talking about wanting a warning about Tom.

"We agree" Fred and George agreed with Ginny.

"If we had read about this lot's second year before…"

"…we would have ridden in the car with these two" George finished his twin while pointing at Ron and Harry.

"Well, the way Sirius pointed it out was that we could get a sneak peek at some OWL and NEWT questions and our love lives. Not sure I like the idea of Sirius finding out about Cho."

Now that Harry thought about his crush, he wasn't exactly sure WHAT he saw in the Asian girl other than her looks which he admitted WAS pretty shallow. But in times of war like now, brains were essential. However, Cho was in Ravenclaw.

"Well Harry," Ginny told Harry "Your love life will be the LAST thing your godfather worries about considering a question I asked Professor Lupin about basilisks year before last."

"What did you tell him Ginny?" Harry demanded going pale

"Relax. I was just asking how one can get a basilisk fang out of a mouth of one" Ginny said. "Granted, his first statement was that the person would die before they could even reach for it because of the glare, but I asked what if it was blinded or dead. You know what he told me?"

"What?" Harry asked dreading the answer.

"It needs to be embedded in something" she said giving him a look that told him that she saw the rip in his robes where the fang had sunk in.

"What'd you do Harry?" Ron asked "Use that bloody diary as a pad?"

"Can we discuss that when we get to that book?" Harry asked not really wanting to go into this. "We should have a game plan for tomorrow."

"Why?" Ron asked

"There's the troll…the reason WHY Hermione was in the bathroom that night, Fluffy, Snape presumably jinxing my broom, Norbert, detention for Norbert, the Devil Snare, the chess set, Voldemort making his grand entrance…"

"I still say we leave the room for Norbert and the Troll" Ron said. "Maybe Fluffy."

"Not a good idea" Hermione said "I was watching Sirius as we read and he's getting REALLY wrapped up in these stories. I think for the REALLY tough scenes, the ones you want to leave the room for, it's going to get worse and he's going to need you there Harry to remind him that you made it out okay. Especially with what happened when you were alone with Quirrell and You-Know-Who. But you're right Harry. We need a game plan. Harry. You should DEFINITELY sit with Sirius and Professor Lupin if only to hold them back since we spent most of that year blaming Snape. Ron. I think we should sit together because of how we acted before that Halloween as we're probably going to need to remind people that we WILL be on better terms."

Ron nodded.

"What about us?" Fred and George chorused.

"Depends. If you're brave enough, you two can sandwich your Mum and keep her pinned for the tough parts. Either that or Charlie for when his part with Norbert happens."

"We'll take Charlie!" they chorused sounding scared.

"And me?" Ginny asked.

"Whatever you want." Hermione said. "But for the book about second year, you MAY want to sit with your parents."

0000

After a good rest as they had no idea of the time, they group got together and started back reading after eating breakfast. About halfway through the chapter, Sirius left the room with only instructions to Harry to stay put.

Sirius went up to his room and started digging, grateful that Andromeda had taken his stuff after he had been arrested and Tonks had given it back after she joined the Order.

He finally found a shoebox with a bunch of pictures, most of which were of Harry when he was a baby. Some were of him being held by Sirius, some with Remus, some with James, some with Lily…

Sirius froze as he came across a picture that had himself helping Harry learn to walk.

The next time he had seen Harry was when he was digging the baby out of the rubble of what was left of his nursery.

Remembering the task at hand, Sirius continued the digging and smiled as he found the picture he was looking for that was stapled to the letter Lily had written him to thank him for the birthday present. He smiled at the sight of the baby on the broom being chased by James while Lily laughed in the background (probably taken by Remus or a charmed camera as Sirius had been on a mission for the Order).

Sirius smiled at the picture of what he felt was his true family. Merlin he missed those days. He then got up to prove that Harry was wrong about never being on a broom.


	7. The Second Lunch Break

**Second Lunch Break**

"Okay" Sprout asked after reading about Christmas at Hogwarts and the Mirror of Erised after the sleep break and breakfast "Who's next?"

"Actually, I'm a bit hungry." Charlie said with a wink towards Bill "Can we break for lunch?"

"Of course" Molly said as she went to the kitchen to make lunch.

"While that cooks," Bill said motioning for the older brothers to go to the study.

"What's going on?" Ron asked going to follow his brothers.

"Sorry Ron. Not this time" Bill said.

"It's about Percy" Fred lied.

"Those four are up to something" Ron said to his friends and little sister.

"Ignore them" Ginny said.

In the study,

"Well Bill?" Charlie asked.

"Why me?" Bill asked.

"You're the eldest." The twins chorused.

"Not to mention that this meeting was YOUR idea" Charlie added.

Bill sighed and sat on the desk.

"I want to know where Ron got this inferiority complex" Bill said turning to the twins. "It's clear he has one between his first conversation with Harry and now this mirror."

"I think I know" Charlie said crossing his arms. "I hate it, but it's the only thing that makes sense."

"What?" Bill and the twins said.

"It's as Ron said on the train." Charlie said. "Everyone expects him to do as well as us, but if he does, it's no big deal since we've done it."

"That's stupid" the twins said.

"But it's true." Bill said. "As older brothers, we set the bar. And Percy's ambition hasn't helped Ron. And Ron's not like you two who don't give a crap about the standards."

"We care!" Fred declared.

"We just choose not to show it" George said.

"We know we're not what Mum wants us to be," Fred added.

"But we're hoping that by being a BIG success with this shop…"

"…she'll see that we're JUST as good as you two."

"You know what else," Charlie realized. "Ginny's another factor."

"How so?" the two younger boys asked.

"Ever wonder WHY Mum and Dad had six boys before stopping with Ginny?" Bill asked. "She wanted a girl so badly. I know she doesn't mean it, but when I came home last year, I noticed she…and Dad…kind of almost neglected Ron. Not to the extreme that the Dursleys did to Harry, but…"

"I saw it too" Charlie confirmed. "Ron, Harry, and Hermione were attacked by aurors and yet when we got home, she was crying over you two."

"Either that or yelling at me and Charlie about our hair" Bill sighed. His mother STILL hadn't given up on that.

"Well, we can't COMPLETELY fault Mum…"

"And Dad" George added to his twins' assessment.

"I agree" Bill said. "it can't be easy for them to divide their attention seven ways. That's why I left the country. So she could focus more on you lot."

"Same here" Charlie agreed.

"She just focused on either Ginny or Percy" Fred explained.

"That's why we prank so much" George said.

"And the only way Ron gets attention now…"

"…is because he's always with Harry."

"It's no wonder they had that fall out their fourth year."

"They fell out?" the two older brothers asked.

"I'm sure it's explained in the fourth book" Fred said.

"So what do we do about this?" Charlie asked Bill.

"We talk to Ron at lunch. Quietly." Bill said.

The brothers left the study and went to the kitchen where they found Harry and Ron chatting about what was left of the book.

"Hey Ron?" Bill asked sitting by his brother.

"Yeah Bill?" Ron asked.

"You DO know now that no matter what Mum and Dad say, we'll be proud of you right?" Bill asked.

"Head boy and Quidditch captain or not" Charlie added.

"Yeah. I know NOW" Ron said. "I was eleven and stupid."

"Still." Fred said.

"If you EVER feel left out…"

"…or unappreciated…"

"let us know" George finished.

"Are you lot going to give me that lecture every time I feel inferior in these books?" Ron asked nervously.

"We'll see" Bill said rustling Ron's hair making it as messy as Harry's.


	8. Photo Album

_A/N: As a special Halloween treat and an apology for not continuously updating, I'll finish posting the in between stuff for Book 1. Which means if you do what I do for new chapters and skip right to the next page, Go back two chapters. There is also an update for the Wattpad version in which I placed two more chapters._

_Happy Halloween_

**Photo Albums**

After the end of the first book, Harry went upstairs to get his album he had promised to show Remus and Sirius. He then went back downstairs to join Remus and Sirius as the rest of the Order had decided to leave the trio alone.

However,

"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked Remus.

"He wanted to get something." Remus told him.

Sirius then entered the room with the shoebox.

"Where on Earth…" Remus gasped as he recognized the box.

"Andromeda took custody of my belongings after I was arrested and Tonks returned them after telling 'Dromeda what Dumbledore told her about my innocence." Sirius explained. "We'll go through these when we're done with yours Harry."

Harry smiled as he sat between his godfather and werewolf mentor and opened the book

"You were six months old when this was taken." Remus said smiling at the picture of Lily and James holding Harry between them and helping him wave to the camera while the baby had a 'what the hell is going on' look.

"But why?" Harry asked. "Nothing special seemed to be going on"

"Lily and James didn't need a reason." Sirius said. "They loved you so much, James was talking about strapping a muggle video camera to his head and have it run 24/7. Lily managed to talk him out of it."

Harry chuckled at the mental image before turning the page.

"Their wedding." Sirius said. "Merlin I look good."

"Shame about what Azkaban did." Remus said half-teasingly.

Sirius whacked Remus upside the head

"I'm looking better now." Sirius argued

"They look so young." Harry said. "how old were they?"

"Nineteen." Remus answered. "They were engaged straight out of school, but both sets of your grandparents died that year. Lily's parents were murdered by Death Eaters because James was from a wealthy pure-blood family with the same prestige as the Malfoys and the Blacks, but different morals. The Death Eaters didn't take kindly to the engagement even if James WAS a 'bloodtraitor' based on views. Your grandmother on your father's side died from a bad bout of Dragon Pox."

"She was old." Sirius added. "Her immune system wasn't what it had been, but Merlin, she was wonderful."

"She was to Sirius what Molly is to you." Remus explained to Harry. "Literally. Best friend's Mum, felt that he was her son even if it wasn't by blood, treated him as such…"

"Took me in when I left this dump." Sirius recalled. "Had those she knew eating out of the palms of her hands because they were too scared to cross her."

"They say you marry your mother." Remus chuckled. "And that's JUST what James did, other than heritage issues."

"She was a redhead too." Sirius told Harry before winking at the boy who blushed knowing the hint.

"Ginny's JUST a friend!" Harry declared "So what happened to my grandfather?"

"Depression did him in." Remus explained. "He loved her so much, he was dead within three months of her death. Wouldn't eat… couldn't sleep… got weaker by the day. James tried to keep him with us which was why the wedding was postponed, but…Andrew wanted to be with Elizabeth."

"In fact, little known fact, but Tonks was named after James' grandmother to an extent."

"Really?" Harry asked confused.

"Both have the nickname 'Dora'" Remus explained. "Tonks' real name is Nymphadora and your great-grandmother's name was Dorea"

"Dorea Potter was actually my mother's aunt." Sirius continued. "Bloodtraitor, but married a wealthy pureblood so it wasn't enough to get blasted off the tree."

Harry smiled at the family history lesson.

"What else?" Sirius asked turning the page. "Remember this Moony?"

Remus cuffed his friend upside the head.

"You KNOW the Order doesn't want us using our nicknames." Remus said

"Why not?" Harry asked

"Molly doesn't want the twins knowing so we won't give them any ideas…at least they'll take seriously and don't you say a word Black."

"I wasn't!" Sirius declared.

"Did I miss something?" Harry asked

"Sirius was known for his lame Sirius/serious jokes."

"They weren't lame!"

"Yes they were. Even James and Peter thought they were."

"What happened in this picture?" Harry asked pointing to the picture of his parents in front of a fountain on what seemed to be a chilly autumn day.

"Your mother charmed a camera to take a picture by itself" Remus said quietly. "They had just returned from their honeymoon about two weeks before and they had just moved to Godric's Hollow."

"This was taken the day your mother told your father she was pregnant with you." Sirius added with a fond smile.

Harry starred at the picture of his father wrapping his arms around Lily. The two looked so much in love.

Now he knew that in a way, he was in the picture too.

"I remember when James told us." Remus chuckled.

"Yeah, if I remember correctly, you said 'Merlin James, you work FAST'"

"No. That was you…after you recovered from fainting"

"You FAINTED?!" Harry laughed at his godfather.

"I did not!"

"Right, so you just fell asleep on your feet and gravity took over when James said that there was 'going to be a little Prongslet running around in nine months'." Remus teased.

Harry laughed at the look on his godfather's face as they continued with the pictures. He felt more at home now than ever before.

End Part I


	9. Confrontation

A/N: I am so, so, so, so, so, so sorry about the wait. Between school and work there was little time. Then Wattpad decided to take off all the Read the Book stories as well. I asked this site if I could do something with just a few lines to let you guys know where they are in the story, but they said no to that. And THEN, if all that wasn't crazy enough, Harry decided to take a vacation and Jack moved in (I started naming my muses that help me with each of my categories of stories).

Anyways, I was checking my reviews and decided to at least give you something (you can thank Guest for that) and I realized, I had already done the between scenes for Book II and they had COMPLETELY slipped my mind(oops). Anyways, I think I might have something for the ones with the books, but don't hold your breath.

Now I know why most people don't really stick with Read the Books. They're harder than they look.

**Confrontation**

After everyone went their separate ways, McGonagall picked up the book and flipped to Chapter 9 which was the halfway mark. When she read the chapter title, she decided to wait to have her conversation with Harry later.

"Is everything alright Professor?" Sirius asked as he had doubled back after noticing they were one reader short.

"I just need a word with Harry at the halfway point" McGonagall said. "I'm feeling that most of this could have been prevented if I had believed him about the Stone."

"You're not the only one who underestimated him" Sirius said. "Look at how Molly initially reacted to the bars. You at least made an attempt that night to keep Harry out of that environment."

"Not hard enough" she sighed.

Meanwhile,

Bill and Charlie looked at each other, nodded, and then approached their mother who was cooking a LARGE lunch.

"Mum? Can we have a word?" Bill asked.

"There's no need" Molly said turning to her two eldest boys. "Reading what happened has opened my eyes to my mistakes. Maybe if I hadn't compared you boys to each other so often Ron wouldn't have his inferiority complex and Percy might still be with us."

"Well, you're right about Ron, but Percy's just too ambitious." Bill said. "I don't know WHAT that hat was thinking putting him in Gryffindor."

"But look at Neville. He's a Hufflepuff if I ever saw one." Charlie argued. "And Tonks is just as Gryffindor as I am and she was in Hufflepuff."

"Maybe it's as Harry says. Maybe Percy will return."

"That'll TAKE Gryffindor courage" Bill muttered before sighing. "So do you think it'll be possible to just…let Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny make their own paths?"

"Yeah" Charlie agreed with his brother. "Fred and George are REALLY good at inventing their products and they're business savvy. And we can use the laughs these days."

"We'll see" Molly said. "I'm still not sure this shop is a good idea. But I have a feeling they're going through with it whether I want them to or not. So…I've decided to finish these books before I make ANY decision on the matter. If books five, six, and seven have good things concerning that shop, then I'll back off and let them at it. But if not…well…maybe it'll convince them to do something else."

"All we ask Mum," Bill said. "Is not to base what the younger kids do on us. It's not fair to them and they need to make their own names."

"I appreciate you coming to me about this" Molly said proudly.

0000

Later at lunch,

"So Ginny?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry?"

"What's this big secret of yours that everyone seems to know about?"

"I'm really looking forward to the end of this book, aren't you Hermione?" Ginny said innocently as she went back to her mashed potatoes.

"C'mon Ginny. It can't be any more humiliating than the butterdish."

"Harry? Can you pass me a roll please?" she asked

Harry did.

"C'mon Ginny. I won't laugh." He promised.

"Thank you." She said as she took a roll.

"You're not going to get it out of her Mate." Ron said with a chuckle

"So you tell me." Harry told his friend.

"I wouldn't Ron." Ginny threatened.

"Why not?" he asked.

"M. B." she stated clearly sending her brothers in a fit a laughter.

"She'll do it too." Bill told Ron who went red.

"I'd rather not say." Ron told his best friend knowing that his sister was going to tell Harry and Hermione about Mr. Blanket if he blabbed about her Harry Potter rag doll their mother made her for her fifth Christmas.


	10. Comfort

**Comfort**

Harry looked around and it appeared that between everyone commenting on the fight between Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley at the bookstore, nobody was noticing how green Ginny was looking.

She then ran out of the room.

Harry turned to his godfather and found him telling Ron of a fight he had been in himself with Malfoy Sr. So, Harry took the opportunity to go after Ginny.

He found her throwing up in the bathroom with the door wide open. Instinct took over and Harry ran in there and held her hair back with one hand and rubbed her back with the other.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned as Ginny continued to puke to see Hermione looking concerned.

"You two ran out so quickly" Hermione said "Moody quieted everyone down and pointed out that while everyone was talking about fights you two slipped out. I volunteered to go as I was involved in most of the book and have a better understanding of what's going on plus I wouldn't overreact if something else was going on. Is everything okay?"

"When Malfoy put the book in the cauldron" Harry explained. "That was when he slipped Ginny the diary."

"Oh Ginny" Hermione sighed knowing that even though the air was clear between them, she knew that Ginny had never fully forgiven herself for what happened that year.

She grabbed a cup, filled it with water, and handed it to Ginny who had stopped throwing up.

"Thanks" she said taking it. "I'm not sure how I'm going to handle this story. If I act like this for something as simple as getting the damned diary…what am I going to do when the attacks come?"

"By the time that happens, your parents will be able to comfort you" Hermione said. "They were just too distracted by the fight."

"We're going to get through this Ginny" Harry assured her. "After all…you saw that thing I had to fight to save you. Imagine how Sirius is going to react."

"I'd be a TAD bit more worried on how McGonagall's going to react" Hermione said.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I overheard her talking to Sirius before lunch. She feels a bit guilty that you couldn't go to adults for help because she didn't believe us about the stone. When she learns that you went into the chamber without an adult…"

"I did too have an adult with me!" Harry said indignantly. "We had Lockhart."

"Why?" Hermione asked having been petrified at the time.

"To tell us if the basilisk was anywhere near" Harry said "If he dropped dead, the answer was yes."

"I mean COMPETENT teacher" Hermione said.

"Hey" Ron said peeking in. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Just…that was when Ginny got the diary" Hermione said.

"Oh." Ron said realizing that his sister was still having issues. "Would you rather sit with us?"

"No" Ginny said standing up using Harry as a support. "Considering a few other things to remind everyone on my once-crush on Harry, I don't think sitting near him would be a good thing."

"You can sit between me and Hermione" Ron said.

"No Ron" Ginny said smirking. "I seem to recall all those spiders crawling around. They're bound to be mentioned and I don't want to be separating you from Hermione."

"Well, if you change your mind about sitting with any of us, just come over to our couch" Harry told her.

The group walked back into the living room.

A/N: If you skip to the last chapter when you notice an update, go back one


	11. McGonagall and Harry Chat

**McGonagall and Harry Chat**

"Well, that was chapter 9. How about we break for bed?" Molly suggested after they finished reading 'The Writing on the Wall.'

Everyone got up.

"Mr. Potter. Might I have a word with you?" McGonagall said

"Yes Professor?" Harry asked as everyone left to go to bed

"Mr. Potter." McGonagall said. "I want you to understand that from now on, if you have a problem, you are to come to myself or one of the other Professors. I don't want you feeling that you need to do EVERYTHING yourself to save the day. And I would also like to apologize for not believing you about the Stone all those years ago."

"It's fine professor" Harry stated.

"It is not fine, Mr. Potter" she informed him. "It showed, not only me, but all of us, that we rely too much on one person."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry figured.

"That is correct." She confirmed. "But with the way things are at the Ministry, the rest of us are going to need to step up to show that Albus Dumbledore isn't the only one who believes you. There is safety in numbers, and where a leader is a good thing to have, others need to be ready to step up if the leader isn't able to act."

"Like Dumbledore not being there." Harry figured remembering the night he went after the stone.

"Correct. Perhaps if I had heeded your warning..." she said

Harry shook his head.

"You would have had to deal with him." Harry argued. "I still say what I said before when we read about it. It was better to face him then when he was weak rather than have my first time be last June at that graveyard."

"My point is, Mr. Potter, if you have a problem with a student, a teacher, or…a house-elf…even those muggles you live with, please inform an adult of the problem. Preferably someone who is reading these books so we're aware of what you're going through."

"So like…if I had told Mr. or Mrs. Weasley about the Dursleys locking up my stuff and keeping me from using Hedwig, you would have understood the car incident more."

"Either that or if you had told them about Dobby, they could have made certain you got on that train." She suggested. "I have a feeling you're going to keep secrets from adults later in these books. I want you, while we read, to think about how things could be different if you had informed someone who is able to do something about it about a certain situation."

"Yes Ma'am" Harry said. "And…just so you know, later in this book, I DO go to an adult."

"If you're referring to Professor Lockhart, I should then say 'please inform a COMPETENT adult'" she said.

Harry smiled.

"Thanks for caring Professor."

"Sir Nicholas isn't the only one who looks after Gryffindors." She said. "But I especially want you paying attention to books 5, 6, and 7 as we're able to change them."

"Yes Ma'am" he said. "Oh, Professor?"

"Yes Mr. Potter?"

"When you said that the brooms don't call the game to Sn…Professor Snape," Harry asked correcting himself before she could. "Then why did you give me the best broom on the market at the time?"

McGonagall sighed as she thought about the best way to answer.

"It was for not fighting harder that night." McGonagall answered. "It's no excuse nor does it make up for it, but I knew that your father would have gotten you that broom anyways had he lived."

"What do you mean fighting harder?" Harry asked having missed the first chapter.

"I had been present that night you were left at the Dursleys and tried to persuade Professor Dumbledore from leaving you there." She said handing him the first book. "The details are in the first chapter."

She left the boy with the book.

Confused, Harry opened the first book and read the first chapter.


	12. Bad Memories

**Bad Memories**

"Oh Merlin!" Ginny shouted as she once again ran out of the room looking sick after hearing about Harry learning how to work the diary.

"I'll be back" Harry said throwing the book on the coffee table and going after the girl followed by his two friends who had told the adults that they've got this.

They found Ginny sitting on the steps having trouble breathing.

"Ginny." Hermione said kneeling down in front of the distraught girl. "Breath with me. In…and out…In…and out."

The two boys sat on either side of the younger girl and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"What happened?" Ron asked confused.

"Riddle used the same technique on me." Ginny explained. "When I got the diary, I wrote the first sentence and it vanished and Riddle wrote back. I thought it was like having a friend to talk to. He then told me he could show me some of his memories. I allowed him to. And he taught me how I could show him mine. That allowed him to possess me. When I saw Harry with the diary…it was more than just being scared Riddle would betray my secrets…but I didn't want him possessing Harry. So…"

"So you stole back the diary." Harry figured.

"I didn't want him taking advantage of you like he did me." She said. "And with only Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione by your side…me too scared to talk to you…I didn't know how much you'd want Riddle as a friend too. I didn't know just WHO he was or that he wanted you dead."

"Ginny. Look at me." Harry said grabbing her shoulder and gently turning her towards him. "What happened that year WASN'T your fault. It was Voldemort's and Mr. Malfoy's. You were just a pawn in their evil scheme. Nobody blames you."

"But what if Sirius will?" Ginny asked. "Because of me you were put in danger."

"And you wouldn't have been in that position had it not been for Mr. Malfoy. Or even Voldemort for creating that damned that." Ron explained. "Sirius likes you Ginny. And this won't change it."

"It's helped you grow into the strong witch you are now" Hermione said. "And if I can forgive you for what happened, anyone who can't…they'll suffer the wrath of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger."

"You mean the wrath of the Golden Trio?" Ginny asked.

"The WHAT?!" the trio asked.

"Long story." Ginny said. "It's the school's nickname for you three. Because you three can get away with anything."

"Oh brother." Hermione said.

"Would you say that's better or worse than the Marauders?" Harry asked Ron.

"This makes us sound more innocent than we are." Ron said. "So are we good Ginny?"

"The sooner this book is done the better." She said.

The four went into the living room.


	13. End of Book 2

**The End of Book 2**

Harry and Ginny both sighed in relief when the second book was finished.

"So…do we start book 3?" Bill asked.

"Let's do what we did for this one." Molly said. "That way any lectures can be said and everyone can reflect on what happened."

She had looked pointingly at Sirius and Harry.

"So, dinner, break, and bed?" Ron suggested

"Sounds good." Arthur said.

Molly got up to go cook. Ginny got up to help, but her brothers gained up and pulled her aside to talk.

Harry got up to go see if either Ginny or the brothers needed help.

0000

"Why didn't you tell us?" Charlie asked his sister. "Or allow Mum or Dad to say something?"

"I was trying to put it behind me." Ginny said. "I'm not proud of what happened."

"And why didn't you tell us the teasing was bothering you?" Ron asked.

"You know we only do it…" Fred stated.

"…in good fun." George finished his twin's sentence.

"You've never listened to anyone before." Ginny argued.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked as he joined them not sure which side to take.

"Just trying to get Ginny to understand that she could ALWAYS come to us rather than a possessed book." Bill said.

"I've already learned my lesson Bill." Ginny told him. "And that experience had helped me grow up a bit. If I need anything from ANY of you, that includes you Harry, I'll ask for it."

"Well, you guys seem to have this conversation under control." Harry said before noticing his godfather had left the room. "I'm going to go find Sirius."

Harry left the room and found Sirius in the room with the tapestry looking out the window.

The teen checked the coast and upon seeing that it was clear, closed the door behind him.

"You okay Padfoot?" Harry asked.

"I just found out you were nearly killed two years in a row before I met you after 12 years" Sirius informed the boy to hint the answer. "Do you have ANY idea how lucky you were that Fawkes was there?"

"I do and I'm EXTREMELY grateful to that phoenix." Harry said before getting a defiant stance. "but if I had to redo that scene, I'd do it all over again. I don't regret killing that monster and saving Ginny."

"You could have been killed." Sirius reminded him.

"I hadn't had much to live for at the time." Harry argued. "I didn't know you or Professor Lupin then. All that had mattered was that the basilisk get killed and find a way to save Ginny. She had a loving family. I didn't at the time."

Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his hair shocking himself at using one of James' habits.

"I should have been there for you" Sirius admitted. "Maybe then you wouldn't have that death wish you seem to have."

"Sirius. I got rid of that subconscious one the minute I told you that I believed you in the shack." Harry said hugging his godfather.

KNOCK KNOCK

The two pulled away.

"Come in" Sirius said.

The Weasley brothers entered.

"We'd like a word with Harry" Bill said.

"Okay. But I'd like a word with your sister." Sirius said.

The two teens were switched out and Harry went out to the hall with the brothers leaving Ginny and the convict alone.

"What's up Sirius?" She asked looking anywhere but him.

"I think you know" Sirius said before smiling. "I don't blame you what happened. "It's as the book said: Voldemort had hoodwinked many older and wiser wizards. Got one of my best friends."

"Thanks Sirius" She said looking relieved.

"Oh…" Sirius said jokingly. "And…if you and Harry wanted to date…you'd have my blessing"

Ginny went bright red.

Meanwhile,

To Harry's horror, the brothers had brought Hermione into the talk as well.

"Harry. I want you to do us all a favor and not to do something like that again." Bill said.

"Save your sister from certain death?" Harry asked.

"He means lie to us about what happened." Ron said.

"I didn't lie!" Harry said.

"Lying through omission is still lying." Hermione said. "You said NOTHING to us about the bite."

"Because I didn't want you to worry." Harry said. "Ron had looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown as it was when he pulled Ginny through that hole. As did Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as well as McGonagall when we entered the office. What was I supposed to say? 'Oh. By the way, I was nearly killed by a basilisk?'"

"We're interested in WHY you didn't…

"…feel the need to…"

"…mention your near sacrifice in…"

"…saving the school from…"

"….more basilisk attacks." The twins swapped mid-sentence making Harry feel like he was watching a tennis match.

"You REALLY want to know?" Harry asked.

All six others nodded.

"Having people caring about me was and is still new to me." Harry explained. "I lived ten years with the Dursleys and thanks to these books, you know what that's like. Then I turn around and everyone's interested in what I do to what I had for breakfast. That type of lifestyle change does not happen overnight and this constant going back and forth doesn't help. Now, maybe if I was able to spend 365 days in the wizarding world, the transition might be easier, but we'll never know because I'm stuck going back to a place filled with people who could care less if I'm dead or alive."

"Like what you said at the end of that year." Ron recalled. "The Dursleys would be furious with you for surviving the number of times you could have died."

"I'm not used to people trying to protect me after spending 10 years fending for myself." Harry concluded. "And when people do show they care, at first it was a bit uncomfortable. That's why I never told anyone."

"What about now?" Hermione asked having never considered the culture shock Harry had suffered every year.

"It's not as uncomfortable, it just depends on who's doing it." Harry said. "Sirius…I'm all for it. He's my godfather so it makes sense. Your parents…I expect it, but it's still a little weird having your best mate's Mum hug you."

"Well, from now on, tell us" Hermione said. "That way, we can beat up anyone who tries to hurt you."

"Do you think I can't take care of that myself?" Harry asked raising his eyebrows at her.

"With as many times as…"

"…you end up in the hospital wing?" the twins asked.

"Touché." Harry admitted.

"He shouldn't need to tell us Hermione." Ron said.

"Thank you Ron" Harry said.

"Because he's not going on another big adventure like that** alone** ever again" Ron added.

"What?!" Harry gasped. "Guys. No! Diggory was killed because Voldemort only wanted me. He'll kill anyone else who joins me."

"We're with you every step of the way, like it or not." Hermione said putting her index finger on Harry's chest pushing him against the wall. "I've noticed every year that the big confrontation is in June so we spend September through May studying our arses off…"

"Hermione!" Fred and George gasped.

"And then we'll enforce constant vigilance." She continued. "We, unlike Diggory, WON'T be taken by surprise."

"What she said." Ron said agreeing with her.

"And we'll expand the shop to incorporate some items…"

"…that might help you." Fred and George said.

"And we'll do our part in the Order to make sure you lot don't have too much to worry about when it comes to Death Eaters and the Ministry." Charlie said.

"But we need FULL honesty and cooperation." Bill said.

Harry gave him a look that Bill translated as the younger teen calling him a hypocrite.

"I meant in your little group. I guess you guys and Ginny can be like a junior order. That's where you put all the effort in."

"But for the sake of our health, as well as your own, don't ACT without informing us of your plan" Charlie added. "If you do, Mum will have a fit."

"Okay." Harry said. "Deal."

"DINNER!" Molly called from the kitchen.

The Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione headed for the kitchen as Sirius and Ginny joined them to the journey. However, Bill pulled Harry aside.

"What now?" Harry asked with a sigh.

"Should we have a talk about you playing knight-in-shining-armor to my little sister?" Bill asked.

"Bill. Let me assure you that the reason I had gone to save Ginny was due to my friendship with Ron." Harry said.

However, he wasn't quite sure he believed that himself anymore.

End Part II


	14. Very Disturbing Thoughts

A/N: Happy Easter for those of you who celebrate. Anyways, I promised you information on location of the full stories. So, I'll give you the first of these in-between scenes THEN you get the goods.

**Very Disturbing Thoughts **(Hence the rating)

"Morning Sirius" Remus greeted.

They had just finished the second book and napped.

Sirius grunted.

"Didn't sleep well either?" the werewolf asked.

"Let's see, my godson just faced Voldemort two years in a row, nearly got himself killed by a basilisk, can't seem to find middle ground between being the hero and the villain in the eyes of the general public, and let's not forget the oh so wonderful fact that my Mum was crushing on the same guy Bellatrix slept with."

"WHAT?!" Tonks exclaimed after she tripped at the knowledge.

"Are you certain?" Remus asked his friend knowing that would put anyone off food for a while, let alone sleep due to mental images.

"When Bellatrix was thrown into Azkaban, she seemed to have forgotten that the Ministry officials were not on her side and was telling everyone that she had…you know with the 'Dark Lord.'" Sirius said.

"Who's up for breakfast?" Molly asked as she entered glad that the worst book was over.

"Not after learning my aunt slept with Voldemort." Tonks admitted.

"You think you have it bad?" Snape asked having walked in to hear that with the other teachers. "Try walking in on them. Had it not been for Pomfry, I wouldn't be here due to the Cruciatus curses"

"Wow. The world's ending" Sirius stated.

"What makes you say that Sirius?" Arthur asked as he entered.

"I never thought I'd feel sorry for Snape." Sirius told him.

"I don't need your sympathy Black. What I need is a LARGE memory charm."

"I thought you went to Mungos to get one." Flitwick told the younger professor.

"Some memories get burned into your head and what I saw was." Snape said.

"AGH!" a few voices came from upstairs.

Just then, Ginny came skipping into the kitchen.

"Morning Daddy." Ginny greeted her father before kissing his cheek.

"What happened?" Molly asked her daughter.

Just then, five very peeved and very wet and/or sticky Weasley boys entered with Harry and Hermione following behind wearily.

"Payback for teasing me about my old crush on Harry." Ginny said.

Harry couldn't explain the twinge in his heart at that.

"You okay Ron?" Remus asked noticing that Ron looked as if he had as much sleep as Sirius.

"Other than the fact I had nightmares about Aragog again and woke up with my face covered in honey only to be hit with a water balloon when I woke up?" Ron asked "I'm just peachy."

"You seemed alright yesterday…or what would have been yesterday." Tonks mused.

"Well, someone had my back and I just wanted that book over with." Ron stated.

"More like his leg." Harry whispered to Ginny who giggled at the memory of Hermione keeping hold of Ron's thigh as he read the chapter about Aragog.

"So what's for breakfast?" Ron asked.

"Most of the adults lost their appetite with some news Sirius and Severus gave us." Remus said winking at Sirius.

Sirius knew that meant that the werewolf's marauder side was coming out.

"What happened?" the twins asked.

"Not at breakfast." Molly said.

"Would you rather them throw up breakfast?" Moody asked.

"I'd rather them not know at all." Molly argued.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was a breech in security in Azkaban." Moody retorted. "Not with the two dementors that recently attacked Potter. Now, would you rather have the kids get a heads up or have Potter witness first hand through those visions."

"You remember how my Mum had the hots for Voldemort?" Sirius asked Harry.

"Yes, and I never thought I'd be grateful to your father." Harry said.

"You and me both." Sirius agreed. "Well, my cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange,…. did… certain activities with him."

"What kind of activities?" Ron asked cluelessly as he picked up a piece of bacon.

"Making out." Snape said not wanting anything in the hormone-driven kids' minds dealing with anything worse and then having Molly blame him because he had to open his big mouth to Black.

The blood drained from Ron's face and, to everyone's shock, he placed the bacon back on the plate and moved it away.

The mental image was still disgusting.

"I'll eat later so that I don't throw it up and waste good food." Ron said.

"Um…that brings up a VERY good point though." Remus said as he remembered something. "Harry? Were you given a talk about…where babies come from?"

"Yes." Arthur answered for Harry. "I gave it to Harry when I gave it to Ron before their second year when I gave Ron the Part II of the talk."

_A/N:_

_Okay People. For all those who've been waiting for the Read the books with the books, I found a couple of sites. _

_The first one I had to wait for because I need an invite and there was a waiting list. The version on this one will have a good chunk of the actual stuff that J.K. Rowling gets all the credit and glory for (and I get absolute zip) taken out. All that will be left is enough to give you an idea of the stop and start . For this one, I would highly recommend you have a copy of the books handy. I will also try to incorporate my in-betweens on these. So this one might take a bit longer. I know I could have probably gotten away with that on this site, but I wasn't taking chances._

_ /_

_The second one, Books 1 and 2 are up as well as the prologue and has the actual stuff that J.K. Rowling gets all the credit and glory for (and I get __**absolute zip, nada, nothing, zilch**__). This way you don't have to have an actual copy of the book in your lap and going back and forth to figure out what the heck everyone is talking about unless you memorized the books word for word. But there's a couple of catches. You need to join the Yahoo group and be willing to download to a Word Document. And I hope you're ready to attempt to read the entire story in one setting because all of book 1 is on one document and all of book 2 on another. _

group/Reading_The_Series/

_To get to the stories there's a blue box on the left of the screen with the links for Home, Messages, etc. Click on Files, Reading the Harry Potter Series (you'll have a choice of Harry Potter and Twilight), and then Busted. When you get in the Busted file, you'll see three word documents (and in a few days, four once I get those last four chapters of POA up) The files for Book 1 and Book 2, as I said above, are the whole thing. If you share a computer or are using a public one, I strongly suggest using a flashdrive or something along those lines (the perk about this one is once you have the copies, even if this site gets taken down, you'll always have at least one Read the Book series for however far I get.)_


	15. Preparing for the Next Chapter

**Preparing for the Next Chapter**

"Who's next?" Snape asked wanting this book OVER after having endured the chapter that discussed his werewolf lesson with the third years. He was amazed he had survived the death glares.

It also hadn't helped he had heard Lily's final words.

"I guess I'm next." George said before smiling fondly.

"Actually," Hermione interrupted. "I think we should break for lunch. I'm hearing Ron's stomach and it's affecting my concentration on foreshadowing place so I can look for them in the future."

"This has already happened though?" Tonks pointed out.

"I'm with Hermione." Ron said. "I'm hungry."

Everyone decided a small break would be a good idea and they headed for the kitchen.

"Excuse me." Molly said walking down the hall a bit.

Concerned, Arthur followed his wife.

"Molly? Are you okay?" he asked.

"It was HER." Molly told her husband when they were alone.

Arthur nodded having also made the connection.

"No child should have to hear that Arthur. Or even remember." Molly said. "And she was only 21! A YEAR older than P-Percy. I can't even imagine what Remus and Sirius must be going through to hear that as they knew her better."

"It is probably painful." Arthur said pulling his wife into a hug. "But they have Harry to help them. From what I've heard, Harry has enough of Lily in him to help ease the pain."

"This might sound a bit childish," Molly informed her husband. "But hearing that…even if it was just Fred's voice…but knowing it was her…I know she existed but…"

"Knowing that Harry actually HEARS her makes her even more real." Arthur said. "I know what you mean. It's like what Harry went through when he got his cloak. It's one thing to be aware of her existence. After all, without her, we wouldn't have Harry. But the world's been without Lily Potter for 14 years now, it's easy to forget. Especially when we didn't know her."

"It's just…with this feeling…it seems as if I failed her. Her son was being abused and I didn't believe it when it was first brought to my attention."

"You didn't fail her."

The parents turned to see Sirius standing in the door.

"When you didn't head straight for the kitchen to feed your son, I got worried." Sirius explained the eavesdropping. "Molly. You didn't fail Lily. You were more of a mother to Harry than Petunia was. I don't think there was too much you could do about the abuse even if you did believe your sons. Not with that protection in place. But you opened your home to him. You fed him. You've clothed him. You gave him a home when I was unable to due to the Ministry's incompetency…present Ministry worker exempted."

Arthur made a gesture as if to brush it aside knowing that Sirius wasn't talking about him.

"For that I am grateful and I'm CERTAIN James and Lily are as well." Sirius said. "The ONLY issue would be this whole prophesy bit. They wanted Harry knowing his first year so he could focus on his studies. Know JUST how vital it was for him to learn magic. But they did want their son loved and you provided that when they physically could not. James was my brother in everything but blood and Lily was an annoying sister to me so you can trust what I say."

Molly smiled through her tears and hugged the convict.

"Harry's lucky to have you." She told him.

"He's lucky to have you too. The both of you." Sirius said.

0000

While that was going on,

Remus had pulled Hermione aside.

"What is going on?" Remus asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

Remus shot her a look.

"You've never been that good at lying." The werewolf told her.

Hermione sighed.

"Ron and I were talking earlier. This next chapter is when Harry learns the story of how Sirius is connected with his parents and…he heard the popular version. You know Harry, Professor." Hermione explained. "He's going to try to leave the room but he can't keep running. The plan is to have lunch and then when we come back, do a bit of seating rearranging so that Ron and I can hold him down. Probably have the twins and/or Ginny ready to sit on him."

Remus nodded in understanding before wincing.

"The sooner this book is over with the better." Remus admitted.

"You feel that too?" she asked nervous about Snape finding out about the Time Turner.

"During our private lessons," Remus admitted. "the topic of Sirius came up and Harry said something that I don't think he wants known by Sirius."

"What?" she asked worriedly.

"You have to remember Hermione," Remus explained. "This was before Harry knew of the switch. And with you explaining that he heard the story of Sirius being the secret keeper, it makes sense now. But…Harry said that Sirius deserved the kiss."

Hermione gasped. She knew Harry had hated Sirius at the time. After all, he believed the convict was the one responsible for Voldemort finding the Potters. But considering how they acted now…

She prayed he didn't remember.


	16. Mean Anything

**Full story for Book 3 is up on Yahoo site and part of Book 1 up is up on ( just search for RedHal) This one doesn't have complete word-for-word and does include what is in this version.**

**Mean Anything? (Chapter 12 Book 3)**

_At the part where Harry and Remus are talking about the kiss just before Harry tells Remus that Sirius deserves to be kissed by a dementor,_

Flitwick froze once again at the next words. Harry suddenly paled as he remembered what he had said.

Before Flitwick could state the words, Harry made a move to get up. But after Remus' warning, Hermione, who had warned Ron, gave a signal. She and Ron got up before Harry did and sat on him, one on each leg.

"Hey! Get off!" Harry fought.

"Fred. George" Hermione stated in a tone the twins read.

They walked over and sat on either side of the trio and helped hold Harry down.

"Something tells me Harry says something that would normally hurt had circumstances be different." Sirius predicted.

"Oh yes." Flitwick said.

"May I Professor?" Ginny asked going over.

The shortest wizard showed her the line and she winced.

"I have an idea." Ginny said.

"What's that?" Tonks asked

"Harry's scared of how Sirius will react to this. And I don't blame him." Ginny said watching Harry struggling with Hermione and three of her brothers. "So, we give him something else to fear at the moment."

"What's that Ginny?" Arthur asked.

"Ron. Hermione. Move. Professor. As I act, read." Ginny said.

Ron and Hermione got off Harry. But before he could bolt, Ginny beat him by taking Ron and Hermione's place on his lap and forced her lips onto his and stuck her tongue into his mouth.

"GINNY!" Bill and Charlie exclaimed.

0000

After Chapter 12 of Book 3 was read,

The room was cleared so that Harry and Sirius could have another heart-to-heart.

"Harry?" Sirius asked gently.

"I'm so sorry Sirius" Harry whispered. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Hey Prongslet." Sirius assured him. "Do you remember what I told you after you overhead the conversation in the bar?"

"But…I wanted you worse than dead!" Harry argued.

Sirius pulled his godson into a hug.

"That was then." Sirius repeated himself. "You know the truth now. Tell me Harry…do you still want that?"

"NO!" Harry said horrified "No Sirius. I don't want that at all and I would do anything to prevent it!"

To emphasize, Harry threw his arms around his godfather as if to ensure himself that Sirius wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

To ensure himself that when all this was over and Sirius' name was cleared, he'd have that life he had been dreaming of since Sirius offered it.

"That's all that matters Harry." Sirius informed him "Now…are there any other moments like that I should be forewarned about so that the twins, Ron, and Hermione don't need to sit on you and Ginny doesn't need to snog you in a way that when I walked in on your parents doing it, I was hexed?"

Harry blushed with a hint of a chuckle. He thought back on that year.

He reached over and grabbed the book flipping through the remaining pages.

"Only thing left is our meeting and I think you can work out what I was thinking"

"True." Sirius mused. "Now…you seemed to have enjoyed that kiss with Ginny."

"She took me COMPELTELY by surprise!" Harry said. "It meant nothing."

However he wasn't sure how true that was.

0000

Meanwhile,

"I will admit that your way of keeping Harry preoccupied was original." Hermione told Ginny

"Original? It was CRAZY!" Ron argued

"Mind if I use that?" Tonks whispered to the redheaded girl.

Ginny was starting to feel that maybe she should have thought that over. Just when she had walked in on Bill and Fleur making out, he seemed so out of it, he wouldn't be able to tell you what two and two were. So she mimicked the kiss.

"Look" Ginny said eyeing her family especially. ESPECIALLY her mother who was already planning the wedding. "It was just a way to rouse Harry's hormones so that his mind would blank out as we read that disturbing part. It meant nothing so don't look too deep into it!"

However, she wasn't sure just how truthful she was being.

"And Tonks, feel free to use it on whoever you want" Ginny told the metamorphmagus.

"Thanks Ginny"

Remus suddenly had an uneasy feeling about this. Especially the way Tonks was smirking at him.

A/N:

Just so you people know as I've been informed that there's been some confusion as to when each chapter takes place, here's a guide for what's been going on so far

_Prologue_: Very beginning, finding the books

_In the Kitchen_: while the adults were reading Chapter 1 of Book 1 and starting Chapter 2

_The First Lunch Break_: After Chapter 7 Book 1

_Godfather/Godson Chat, Staff Meeting, and Sleep Break_: After Chapter 8 Book 1

_Second Lunch Break_: After Chapter 12 Book 1

_Photo Album_: Finished Book 1

_Confrontation_: After Chapter 3 Book 2

_Comfort_: when it's read that Malfoy slipped Ginny's book back in the cauldron after the fight scene in Chapter 4 Book 2

_McGonagall and Harry Chat_: After Chapter 9 Book 2

_Bad Memories_: Mid Chapter 13 Book 2

_End Book 2_: Finished Book 2

_Very Disturbing Thoughts: _Before Book 3

_Preparing for the Next Chapter: _After Chapter 9 Book 3


	17. Another Break

**Another Break (End Chapter 19 Book 3)**

The group of readers got up after reading about how it was really Pettigrew who betrayed the Potters and from the looks of the book, all was well. But, Charlie had recalled Murphy's Law of how anything that can go wrong, will. The fact that Dumbledore had called a break before things started to take a turn for the worse only added to the evidence.

"Okay Bill." Arthur said when he pulled his eldest to the side. Bill had been deep in thought after the last chapter and the look on his face was unnerving the father. "What's the matter? Is this about Scabbers being the reason Harry is without his parents?"

"In a way" Bill said with a sigh. "I didn't want to bring it up in front of Mum. I'm not too thrilled bringing it up with you, but…I just found it odd"

"Found what odd?" Arthur asked

"Ron didn't have Scabbers forever" Bill pointed out hoping he didn't have to voice his concern.

Arthur instantly realized what his eldest was on about.

"Do you think that maybe Pettigrew might have something to do with Percy's behavior as of late?"

"A part of me would like to think so." Bill said. "Then Percy's behavior wouldn't be his fault and forgiveness can come easier. But…It's been five years since Percy's been without Scabbers…or Pettigrew. It just strikes me that the traitor of the family had kept the traitor of the Order for seven years"

Arthur placed a hand on Bill's shoulder.

"I don't believe that it had anything to do with Percy's behavior." Arthur assured his son. "Percy's always been ambitious. It isn't well publisized, but we Weasleys ARE related to the Blacks. Distant, but the blood ties, as much as we and them hate it, it's there."

Bill started to open his mouth to point out that Percy had been sorted into Gryffindor, but his brain caught up to it.

Harry had almost been sorted into Slytherin. And chances were that Peter Pettigrew had been in Gryffindor during his school days and look at where he ended up.

"Ambition is not just a Slytherin trait." Arthur said. "Everyone has it. How it's handled determines if one belongs in Slytherin"

"So, if Percy hadn't had any forwarning, he might have been sorted into the Slytherin house?"

"It's possible. Doesn't mean your mother and I would love him less than we do. In fact, the mere fact that he was a Gryffindor tells me that one day he will return" Arthur said "When that day is…hopefully these books will tell us."

0000

Meanwhile,

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Perhaps because of the entire reason why Pettigrew isn't in custody" Hermione argued.

"What does him getting away have to do with why you want me to sit with my mother for the rest of the book?" Ron questioned.

"Ron." Harry said as Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. "How did Pettigrew get away?"

"He transformed" Ron answered.

"and why did nobody stun him?"

"Because we were too preoccupied with the fact it was the full moon and Professor Lupin was changing."

"And who was chained to Lupin and Pettigrew?" Harry hinted.

"Oh." Ron realized.

"Yeah. Oh." Hermione said.

"Hey. With any luck, that part can get your Mum to like Sirius better." Harry pointed out. "After all, he did distract Lupin from you."

"Hey. Do you three mind?"

The trio turned to the corner where the twins and Ginny had out a pair of extendable ears.

"Yeah." George added. "We're trying to eavesdrop?"

"Who's in there?" Ron asked as Hermione sent the other three a glare.

"The professors, Mum, Moody, Sirius, and Tonks" Ginny explained. "They're yelling at Snape for his behavior. Something about the twins being more mature."

"That's a scary thought" Harry and Ron chorused.

"Oi!" the twins chorused.

The door suddenly opened to reveal Sirius.

"Eavesdropping?" he questioned.

"Who? Us?" Ginny asked innocently as the twins hid the ears.

"Don't look at us. We've been back here talking about the upcoming chapter." Harry said.

"Well, it's about time to start reading again." Sirius said.

"I'm looking forward to the fifth book" Fred said.

"I'm not." Ron said. "It's bad enough I have to live with one, but I don't want to read more about a moody Harry"

"Oi!" Harry exclaimed. "At least you'll be forwarned of my 'moody' days."

"You mean the days you'll scream 'constant vigilance' at the top of your lungs?" Ginny teased.

Everyone groaned.

"That's it." Hermione said. "you have been spending WAY too much time with the twins."


	18. Inheritance

**Inheritance (end Book 3)**

"So Sirius," Harry said when they finished with book three and everyone was talking about various aspects, Mad-Eye trying to get people to go with his idea of having a few order members take on the illegal animagus training to add to the spy count on their side. "You said back in Chapter 17 something about Malfoy getting in the way of your freedom?"

Flashback

"_I don't know if that cat's smart or just plain stupid" Tonks said._

_Hermione gave her a dirty look._

"_On one hand, he came to his mistress' aid when she asked for it and was able to assist. On the other, he MUST have known Harry would be furious at Sirius." _

"_Well, and to add to the first," Remus said. "It allowed Harry to learn the truth."_

"_Hey. I was there. I would have figured it out" Ron said._

"_You may be my best mate, but looking back, I doubt I would have believed that." Harry admitted. "I needed to hear it from parties who were there." _

"_Harry's right Ron." Sirius said. "everyone would have blamed that I used 'dark magic' to mess with your head and hide the traces." _

"_Is that possible?" Tonks asked._

"_To mess with the head, yes." Snape said beating Mad-Eye. "To hide the trace, depends on from which wizard."_

"_Hate to say it, but Snape's right" Mad-Eye said. "Albus would have been able to see."_

"_But Fudge is too stubborn." Arthur added. "Even if Albus was in his good graces, it would be REALLY hard to convince Fudge Sirius was innocent. Especially with Malfoy in his back pocket." _

"_What does Malfoy have to do with this?" Harry asked._

"_Because of inheritance stuff." Sirius said. "I'll explain later."_

End Flashback

"Right." Sirius said. "Well, with Pure Bloods, the oldest male inherits the family fortune. My father was the oldest in our family thus, being the eldest son, it was to go to me. Now, when I was burned off, the inheritance was to go to my younger brother, but when he died, it went back to me. As long as the Black name is in circulation, then it can't go to next of kin even if the dominant one is in prison for life. Following me so far."

"I think so." Harry said.

"Good." Sirius said. "Now, after my brother died and I got the letter from Gringotts telling me that no matter how much my parents kicked and screamed, as long as one of their children is alive, they can't designate another beneficiary for the land and titles. The wealth they could break up, but apparently they didn't consider that. At that time, I was young and foolish and thinking that in a few year I'd probably join James in the land of husbandhood and fatherhood. But that wasn't to happen. The one girl I was actually considering for that was killed shortly before your parents."

Harry frowned. That had to be harsh on Sirius to have lost his love and then his best friends.

"Anyways, there is a loophole that I considered." Sirius explained further. "If I didn't, when I die or if I get kissed, my fortune will go to the next Black male. Well, Bellatrix has not children; Andromeda has only a daughter; and Narcissa has Draco. So, unless I finish what I had started back in '81, all this goes to Draco. So you can see why Malfoy wants me offed."

"So, what are the options to prevent that?" Ron asked.

"Well," Sirius said. "Tonks can get herself pregnant and have a boy"

"Like that'll happen" she muttered disgruntledly sending a longing look towards Remus.

"Or," Sirius said. "We don't have to worry. I went on and fulfilled he loophole. There's some forms that I filled out after Marlene's death naming my godson my official heir."

"So…I'm due to inherit all this IF you died?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Sirius confirmed. "Of course there were a few provisions. Both parents had to graduate from a magical school and there had to be some pureblood in you. You fulfilled both requirements so you were accepted. Now, if I was to have a son between when you were named and when I die, then my son would have first priority. Though there is a way you can inherit first."

"How?" Ron asked, his mouth full of the chicken he was eating for dinner

"Sirius could legally adopt Harry" Arthur answered.

"Really!?" Harry asked looking between Arthur and Sirius excitedly.

"It would be possible, but the process is completely different than the muggle way" Remus said "And it takes just as long."

"Moony's right" Sirius said to Harry. "As much as I would love nothing more, by the time it got around to being processed, you'd be considered an adult."

"But if you were my legal father, I'd never have to go back to the Dursleys." Harry said. "Isn't there some way we can speed the process?"

"As long as Malfoy and Fudge hold power, it'll be near impossible" Bill said.

"Albus?" Molly asked as Dumbledore looked considerate.

"Let us finish these books" Dumbledore said.


End file.
